Sparring device



y 1966 J. P. NICHOLSON 11 3,250,533

SPARRING DEVIGE Filed June 18, 1964 United States Patent 3,250,533 SPARRING DEVICE Jack Preston Nicholson H, 101 Glendora, Houston, Tex. Filed June 18, 1964, Ser. No. 376,054 6 Claims. (Cl. 272-46) This invention relates to sparring dummies, and more particularly to a mechanically and electrically operated man.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a sparring device which will be useful in gyms and karate clubs.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a sparring device which will have spring means to raise and lower the arms and will have vertical spring means to impart alternate bobbing and weaving to the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a sparring device which will have motor and transmission means in the base to drive the device, and the device will have boxing gloves on the arms, filled with rubber, to simulate a real boxer.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a sparring device bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and efficient in operation and in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of the present invention shown partly broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of FIG- URE 1.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, a sparring device 10 made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a hollow circular base 12 and having a platform 14 fixedly secured to the inner periphery of base 12. An electric motor 16 is secured to platform 14 within base 12 and by means of belt 18 drives a transmission 20 which is secured to platform 14 adjacent to motor 16. Transmission 20 imparts a rotary oscillating motion to vertically extending hollow shaft 22 which threadingly receives the externally threaded, elongated spring 24. Shaft 22 is freely and rotatably received within bearing 26 secured Within base 12. The other end of spring 24 secured within opening 28 of plate 30 and plate 30 is secured within body 32 which is made of plastic or other suitable material. Sparring device 10 is provided with a pair of forearms which are free to move in various directions, andt-he shoulder area of device 10 is provided with upper arms 36 in the same manner as a human being. A rod is secured within forearm 34, and a rod 48 is secured within the upper arm 36, and a coil spring 38 hookingly engages rods 40 and 40 and provides a means for springingly pivoting forearm 34 against the upper arm 36. Forearms 34 are secured within boxing gloves 42 which are filled with rubber or other suitable material to prevent injury to anyone working out with the device 10. A pair of parallel cross bars 44 and 44' are fixedly secured near the upper extremity of spring 24 within the shoulder area of sparring device 10, and bar 44 extends into the upper extremity of the upper arms 36 and provides shoulder action for sparring device 10.

In operation, when motor 16 is started by plugging in the plug 46, transmission 20 rotates spring 24 back and forth to impart a swinging and jabbing motion to the forearms 34 and produces a shoulder oscillation within 3,250,533 Patented May 10, 1966 sparring device 10 as well as a bobbing and weaving motion by the flexing of spring 24. When the device is then struck by someone working out with the device, the motions of body 32 and forearms 34 simulate a boxer returning punches vigorously.

It shall be noted that sparring device 10 may be varied in construction but will produce the same resulting motions as have been herein described.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A sparring device comprising in combination, a hollow, circular base, a platform secured within said base, a motor mounted a motor mounted on said platform, a vertical spring member carried by said base, transmission means operative-1y connected to said motor and providing rot-ary oscillating motion to said vertical spring member, a hollow body simulating a man, a circular plate within said body and secured to said spring member, a pair of parallel bars integral with and normal to said vertical spring member within said body approximate the shoulder areas, a pair of coil springs, one in each arm hingeably connecting each forearm to its corresponding upper arm so that the oscillating motion of said vertical spring imparts erratic motion to the shoulders and forearms of said device, a boxing glove carried by each forearm providing a means for preventing injury to a person when struck by said device.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said transmission means is provided with a hollow shaft which is internally threaded for receiving an externally threaded lower extremity of said vertical spring member, and the upper bar secured to said spring member extends into the shoulder area of said device.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said spring member is secured within the circular plate and said circulate plate is secured to the interior of said body partially above the lower extremity of said body and provides a means for supporting said body upon said spring member.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein each coil spring is hooked over a transverse rod secured within said upper arm and said forearm.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the lower extremities of said forearms are received Within said boxing gloves, and said boxing gloves are rubber filled.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein each said upper arm pivotally receives a forearm, and the joint ends of said upper arm and said forearm abut with each other by the tension of said interior coil spring secured to said transverse rods.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 419,285 1/1890 Sanborn 27 2-76 805,543 11/1905 Hayes Z7'2-76 835,796 i l/1906 Lindsley 2l7276 2,637,936 5/1-953 Dale ct al. 40106.3

FOREIGN PATENTS 245,855 8/ 1947 Switzerland.

RICHARD C. PI'NKHAM, Primary Examiner. A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SPARRING DEVICE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A HOLLOW, CIRCULAR BASE, A PLATFORM SECURED WITHIN SAID BASE, A MOTOR MOUNTED A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID PLATFORM, A VERTICAL SPRING MEMBER CARRIED BY SAID BASE, TRANSMISSION MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR AND PROVIDING ROTARY OSCILLATING MOTION TO SAID VERTICAL SPRING MEMBER, A HOLLOW BODY SIMULATING A MAN, A CIRCULAR PLATE WITHIN SAID BODY AND SECURED TO SAID SPRING MEMBER, A PAIR OF PARALLEL BARS INTEGRAL WITH AN NORMAL TO SAID VERTICAL SPRING MEMBER WITHIN SAID BODY APPROXIMATE THE SHOULDER AREAS, A PAIR OF COIL SPRINGS, ONE IN EACH ARM HINGEABLY CONNECTING EACH FOREARM TO ITS CORRESPONDING UPPER ARM SO THAT THE OSCILLATING MOTION OF SAID VERTICAL SPRING IMPARTS ERRATIC MOTION TO THE SHOULDERS AND FOREARMS OF SAID DEVICE, A BOXING GLOVE CARRIED BY EACH FOREARM PROVIDING A MEANS FOR PREVENTING INJURY TO A PERSON WHEN STRUCK BY SAID DEVICE. 